The prior art discloses numerous exercise machines for either strengthening the body, particularly the legs, or for enhancing one's cardiovascular health or aerobic fitness.
However, the prior art fails to teach, suggest, or disclose an exercise machine adapted and configured to target muscles of the lower torso, and which anatomically orients the user in a position biomechanically optimized for achieving comprehensive health and fitness while substantially reducing the risk of injury to the knee joints and lumbar spine.
The present invention is adapted and configured to anatomically orient the user in a position biomechanically optimized for substantially reducing the risk of injury to the knee joints and lumbar spine, and for achieving comprehensive health and fitness. Significantly, the biomechanically optimized position uniquely coincides with user positioned in a natural and athletic position during performance of exercise by the user when operating the machine of the present invention.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved exercise machine for targeting muscles of the lower torso which anatomically orients the user in a position biomechanically optimized for achieving comprehensive health and fitness while substantially reducing the risk of injury to the knee joints and lumbar spine. The development of the strength and fitness exercise machine of the present application fulfills this need.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related:
U.S. Pat. No. 7,727,128 B2, issued in the name of Giannelli et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 7,052,444 B2, issued in the name of Webber;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,458, issued in the name of Giust;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,241 B1, issued in the name of Ellis;
U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,891 B2, issued in the name of Morris et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 7,220,221 B2, issued in the name of Mosimann et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,479 B1, issued in the name of Hildebrandt et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,378, issued in the name of Abrahamian et al.; and
U.S. Patent application no. 2005/0032611 A1, published in the name of Webber et al.
This application presents claims and embodiments that fulfill a need or needs not yet satisfied by the products, inventions and methods previously or presently available. In particular, the claims and embodiments disclosed herein describe a strength and fitness exercise machine, the machine comprises a main frame comprising a front support section, a central support section, and a rear support section; a carriage support base; a torso carriage assembly mechanically coupled superjacent the carriage support base; an adjustable, inclined upper torso support slidably coupled to the torso carriage assembly; a track assembly; an adjustable shoulder support slidably coupled to the track assembly; a foot support carriage; a foot support assembly; an adjustable resistance operably connected with the shoulder support and the upper torso support via a linking assembly, the exercise machine of the present invention providing unanticipated and nonobvious combination of features distinguished from the devices, apparatuses, inventions and methods preexisting in the art. The applicant is unaware of any device, apparatus, method, disclosure or reference that discloses the features of the claims and embodiments disclosed herein, and as more fully described below.